Leaves: Overlapping a little, frequently a little twisted, bent, and curved toward the stem or sometimes toward the side when dry, 1.2-3.2 mm in length, lance-shaped with ovate tendencies (FNA 2007) or widely ovate, tapering to a muticous (Crum & Anderson et al., 1981), acute, or wider-angled leaf tip (FNA 2007), the tip not hyaline (Vitt 1988), the leaf strongly longitudinally-folded along the mid-leaf above, the fold continuing to cupped below; leaf edges finely toothed above or smooth, curved back and downward from near the base to a little above the proximal half, sometimes to the leaf tip, rarely flat; costa extending to or to near the leaf tip (FNA 2007).

Fruit ripens the last part of spring into the first part of summer (FNA 2007).

Diagnostic Characteristics

Schistidium agassizii, which also grows along streams, can be distinguished by its less-strongly ovate leaves with plane rather than recurved margins, and weakly rather than strongly keeled upper leaf (FNA 2007).

The plants of this species enjoy inhabiting rocks which receive splashing from running water and are sometimes inundated for periods. When the water level drops, the plants may dry out thoroughly in their periodically xeric habitat (Vitt 1988).

Lawton, E. 1971. Keys for the Identification of the Mosses on the Pacific Northwest. Reprinted from 'Moss Flora of the Pacific Northwest'. Published as Supplement No. 2 of the Journal of the Hattori Botanical Laboratory. Nichinan, Miyazaki, Japan. 66 pp.